Super Talent at 30A Songwriters Festival

If you can make it over to Seaside, Fla (between Panama City and Destin) on Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend (Jan 13-15) you'll be treated to the excellent 30A Songwriter's Festival, now in its third year.

The past two years have been a talent feast. This is a showcase for hot songwriters, many of them working in Nashville. But it isn't a country festival -- here, songs are stripped down to their bare bones. The audience (for the most part) really listens.

Headliners include Rodney Crowell, The Bangles, Shawn Mullins, Sam Bush Band, Amy Ray of The Indigo Girls, and Matthew Sweet.

The thrill for me, though, has been listening to the "unknowns" performing there, and finding some incredible gems. Angel Snow was one of them last year. Madison Violet was another.
 
This is not a camping festival, and it isn't a great place to lug kids around, either.  Performances are held in a variety of  venues, including bars and restaurants, along the coastal highway there -- 30A. You can hop from place to place eating and drinking along the way. Tickets are onsale online at $125 for the weekend. The gate price is $150.
 
I was able to video quite a few of the performances last year. And you can read my post on lodging and logistics here. Here are some more of the folks performing this year:
 

David Wilcox, Steve Forbert, Mary Gauthier, Sam Bush Band, Randall Bramblett, Tommy Talton, Jeffrey Steele, Chely Wright, Chuck Cannon, Tim Nichols, Corey Smith, David Olney, Davin McCoy, Lori McKenna,Tommy Womack, Kevn Kinney, The Shadowboxers, Larkin Poe, Emily Lynch, Joseph Arthur, Matthew Mayfield, Rachel Platten, Callaghan, David Berkeley, Garrison Starr, Jeff Black, Joe Leathers, Ben Glover,Billy Montana, Chas Sanford, Brian and Karyn White, Greg Barnhill, Forrest Williams Band, Kyle Jacobs, Kelsey Anna, Reed Waddle, Meg Hutchinson, Brigitte DeMeyer, Daphne Willis, Shannon Whitworth, Suzi Ragsdale, Georgia, Ashleigh Flynn, Joanna Cotton, Matthew Kahler, Over The Rhine (Karin Bergquist & Linford Detweiler), Bryan Kennedy, Nicole Witt, Granville Automatic, Angel Snow, Chatham Street, Deux, Birds, Jesse Terry, Michael Witty, Sterling Fletcher, Grant Peeples, The Tall Pines, and over 75 more.

Here  is an amazing performance of one of my favorite songs, "Mercy Now," by Mary Gauthier -- that's Tania Elizabeth who used to fiddle for the great Canadian newgrass band, The Duhks, performing with Mary.  There's a long and funny intro by Mary congratulating country star Chely Wright (who is onstage but out of the frame) for coming out as a gay woman.

And even more videos from 30A Songwriters Festival!

Here are three more acts that shined at the 30A Songwriters Festival: Cool Canadian female duo Madison Violet, Daphne Willis, and a singer who really stood out: Angel Snow 

Angel has a smoky voice that cuts right to your heart. I immediately bought her CD (which has no tracks printed on it and just has a copy of her driver's license as "cover art") and listened to it repeatedly on the drive home. Snow -- who collaborates with Alison Krauss's brother Victor -- is one to watch.

Enjoy!

Video of Pat Hull at 30A Songwriters Festival

Pat Hull has cool, enigmatic lyrics and an absolutely beautiful high voice.This track is from his excellent 2010 CD, Fable Names. Cody Carpenter accompanies on vocals and keyboard.

Video -- Emily Saliers at 30A Songrwiters Festival

Here's Emily Saliers of The Indigo Girls doing "Closer I am To Fine" at the 30A Songwriters Festival -- with lots of audience participation. Next to her is Vicki Peterson of The Bangles.

More Videos from 30A Songwriters Festival!

Here are two wonderful up-and-coming singer-songwriters that I saw at the 30A Songwriters Festival. They are both out of Nashville.

When I went to the festival,one of the artists I was most excited to see was Madi Diaz and I was not disappointed! She's a young, indie gem with a gorgeous voice and interesting lyrics. The second video is of Jeremy Lister, who was voted as Nashville's Best Singer-Songwriter of 2008 in the Nashville Scene Awards. Enjoy!

Mary Gauthier at 30A Songwriters Festival

Here's another great performance from the 30A Songwriters Festival. Mary Gauthier performs her haunting song, "Mercy Now." Listen closely to these amazing lyrics.

This video has a funny intro -- Gauthier congratulates country star Chely Wright (just off camera to Gauthier's left)on coming out as a lesbian on the Oprah show, and shares some hilarious bits of her own background. Then the song's ON.... Tania Elizabeth ( formerly of the Canadian newgrass band The Duhks) sings ethereal backup and plays soulful fiddle.

Lots of Talent at 30A Songwriters Festival

The incomparable Dar Williams put on a couple of fine perfomances at the second-ever 30A Songwriters Festival over the weekend. The festival delivered intimate songs and settings with some of the finest talent around. OK, I cried. More than once. Some of these songs are just so beautiful and heartfelt. I came home with a stack of CDs, some new favorites, and a computer full of videotaped performances. For those of you who didn't make it, I'll be posting more videos here for your listening pleasure!

Here's Dar singing "February."

Talent's Coming Down for 30A Songwriter's Festival This Weekend

A massive migration of ridiculous talent heads to the Panhandle coast this weekend for the 30A Songwriters Festival . Last year's festival left me impressed by the heart-felt songcraft. I brought home a lot of new musical discoveries. Here are some of the offbeat acts that festgrrl is most intrigued to see this weekend: Lucy Wainwright Roche,  The Shadowboxers,  Madi Diaz,  Jessica Smucker , Angel Snow, Reed Waddle, The Smoking Flowers, Pat Hull, Chuck Cannon, Zach, Jen Foster, and Madison Violet.

30A Songwriters Festival Coming Up

The gorgeous beaches along Walton County's 30A Highway (between Fort Walton Beach and Panama City, FL) will be home to the second annual 30A Songwriters Festival on Martin Luther King Day weekend. (Jan 14-16) festgrrl attended last year and you can see my posts here and here and here and here.

These are intimate, heartfelt shows and I came home excited by lots of new musical discoveries. I love Dar Williams, who is playing this year, and I really dug The Smoking Flowers last year.

This is not a camping festival, and you have to drive between all these different venues spread out along 30A. Tickets that get you in to all the shows -- over 100 artists over three days, plus a kickoff party on Friday night -- are $85.

You can camp ($24-$30 per night with water and electric) or rent luxuriously roomy modern cabins ($110 per night) at nearby Grayton Beach State Park or (a little further but also beautiful) Topsail Hill State Park ($100 a night for cabins, camping $24-$42 a night.) There are also fantastic but pricey houses to rent all over Seaside and surrounding resorts. 

Those in-the-know know that Walton County is home to festgrrl fave Dread Clampitt. Sadly, Dread Clampitt isn't playing this year at this festival. Boo hoo.

The organizers tell me they plan to  have a text messaging service set up to let folks know when a venue gets filled up. Last year, you had the unfortunate occurrence of driving somewhere and not being able to get in. But I saw some great shows that I wouldn't have seen when I went down the road to find a show that wasn't as filled up.

I'd reccommend this interesting festival if you can line up somewhere to stay. It sold out in a heartbeat last year, but they are offering more tickets and more venues this year.

Bonaroo lineup announced today

The folks at Bonnaroo festival amped up the anticipation factor today by releasing their lineup in phases over the day. Here is what's been announced so far:

The Avett Brothers

The Flaming Lips with Stardeath and White Dwarfs perform “Dark Side of the Moon”

Weezer

Medeski Martin and Wood

John Fogerty

Cross Canadian Ragweed

Ingrid Michaelson

Phoenix

The xx

Regina Spektor

Mayer Hawthorne & the County

Wale

Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers

Norah Jones

Bassnectar

OK Go

Monte Montgomery

Jay-Z

Punch Brothers

Thievery Corporation

GWAR

She & Him

Jimmy Cliff

Tokyo Police Club

Kid Cudi

Japandroids

Dr. Dog

Suwannee Springfest Early Bird Tix Still Available!

Early bird tickets --- at $126, up from $99 last year --- for Suwannee Springfest are available until Jan. 31. It happens March 25-28 at Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak. Fl. (Paradise.) Kids under 12 are free, thank you very much.

This fest is heavy on newgrass as usual, with Cajun-influenced jam band Donna The Bufffalo and high-energy slamgrass faves Leftover Salmon (celebrating their 20th year) headlining. (You can read all about Leftover Salmon, listen to their music, and get special free downloads at Jambase) The insane Tornado Rider will also play, the incomparable Peter Rowan, and The Dirty Dozen Brass Band.

I am LOVING Springfest newcomers  18 South, (check out their mind-blowing cover of the Blind Boys of Alabama song "Run On") steppy, fun, Little-featish-Lyle-Lovett sound which has hot, hot, hot guitarist (and hell of a nice guy) Guthrie Trapp (who played with Dread Clampitt a bunch last year, and hot singer-songwriter Jessi Alexander, who is a good singer (and yes, she co-wrote Miley Cyrus' hit "The Climb." ) I'm pretty sure that's the only time you'll ever see Miley Cyrus in festgrrl's blog.


The Duhks, a young Canadian string band with a world-beat vibe, has broken up. Their cool and ridiculously talented fiddle player, Tania Elizabeth, has left the band. Duhks banjo player Leonard Podolok will be at Springfest with a new project, The Turtle Duhks, and former Duhks lead singer Jessee Havey will be there with The Jessee Havey project. Should be interesting, but I will really, really miss Tania Elizabeth. I still remember her amazing performances a few years ago when she was the only member of the band able to cross the Canadian border due to some bureacratic problem. She sat in with EVERYONE and absolutely killed it. Good luck Tania and hope we see you again soon!!


Here's Suwannee Springfest's lineup announcement:

"More than 30 of the finest performers in Americana & Roots Music will appear on the festival’s five stages with nearly 100 individual performances & workshops to be scheduled.


Leftover Salmon will make a rare Florida appearance Saturday evening at Suwannee Springfest in celebration of their 20th year performing together as a band. Salmon defined the contemporary Colorado bluegrass/newgrass sound which influenced groups like String Cheese Incident and later Yonder Mountain String Band. Their high-energy sets at festivals like Telluride Bluegrass, High Sierra, Merlefest and others helped to establish the band and those events’ reputation as well.

Texas singer/songwriter Robert Earl Keene comes to Suwannee Springfest on the heels of his recent CD “The Rose Hotel” which held the #1 position on the Americana airplay charts for several weeks.

Dirty Dozen Brass Band will bring the funk to Thursday evening. Donna the Buffalo will rock the Suwannee Springfest stage for the 13th time beginning on Friday (they were not at the very first Suwannee Springfest).

Peter Rowan is marking his 14th Suwannee Springfest maintaining his role as the Festival Patriarch. Veteran bluesman Roy Book Binder also maintains a perfect reco rd as he performs for the 14th time. 2010 Blues Grammy nominee Ruthie Foster will bring her sultry tones to Springfest on Saturday. Mr. Get Your Mag On Jim Lauderdale, another Grammy nominee as well as multi-instrumentalist Joe Craven will appear on Saturday and Sunday.

Suwannee Springfest will also present several exciting new projects from other Americana favorites. While the Duhks take a brief hiatus, band leader Leonard Podalak is featuring his trio, The Turtle Duhks. And a brand new project featuring former original Duhks vocalist Jessee Havey will debut at the festival, too. Blueground Undergrass is also on hiatus, so Rev Mosier, Johnny Mo and David B will treat us to the new adventures of The Mosier Brothers with David Blackmon.

Another powerhouse new Americana band with deep bluegrass roots appearing is 18 South. The organic and earthy quality of their sound rings with overtones of Blues, Bluegrass, Jazz and Gospel. Larry Atamanuik and Mike Bub hold down a deep and unmovable groove behind Jimmy Wallace's rich vocals and slamming New Orleans Style Piano that in turn gives Guthrie Trapp the opportunity to freely express his fluid and versatile guitar style. With Jon Randall's mournful tenor vocals and solid guitar playing, the band provides a perfect venue for Jessi Alexander to nail the audience to the wall with her smoky heart wrenching vocals.

A young Louisiana group with a bluegrass background, The Belleville Outfit comes to the festival after a nomination for an Americana Music Association award last year. And pure bluegrass will be represented on the bill by The Steeldrivers and their popular new songs.

Expect the unexpected with Tornado Rider bringing smiles to all on the Amphitheater Stage on Thursday night and don’t miss the Emerald Coast favorite sons Dread Clampitt on Friday.

More acts will be added soon. For complete information, visit the Suwannee Springfest Lineup Page on MagMusic.com."

Wanee Lineup is INSANE!

The lineup for Wanee Festival at Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park is out and Lord have Mercy it's GOOOD....April 15-18. Tickets go on sale Friday, Jan. 22.

Allman Brothers


Widespread Panic

Gov't Mule

Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi

Bob Weir, Rob Wasserman & Jay Lane are Scaring The Children

Stephen Stills

The Black Keys

Dr. John

Hot Tuna Electric

7 Walkers featuring Bill Kreutzmann & Papa Mali

JJ Grey & Mofro

Johnny Winter

George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic

The Funky Meters

The Wailers

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings

North Mississippi Allstars

A Family Affair with Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk (Performing Sly & the Family Stone)

Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band

Chuck Leavell with The Randall Bramblett Band

Particle

Oteil & Kofi Burbridge with the Lee Boys

Col. Bruce Hampton

Devon Allman’s Honeytribe

Scrapomatic

Bobby Lee Rogers Trio

Bonobos Convergence

Standouts at 30A Songwriter's Festival

The 30A Songwriter's Festival was a gluttonous buffet of killer talent. Only saw one act I didn't care for, and I won't say who.

Here are a few wonderful morsels:

The Smoking Flowers are a husband and wife alt-country/folk duo with unusual harmonies, fabulous stage presence and, to me at least, a very new sound. They are taking old forms (think June Carter and Johnny Cash) and bending things in new, intriguing  ways ways. Tight vocals, tight playing, an a super-cool vibe. A delight. I'd like to see these two tour with festgrrl's long-time faves, The Avett Brothers.

Pat Hull. This guy just absolutely slayed me. High, clear as a bell voice that hits you right in the solar plexus. Heart-wrenching lyrics. He's a youngster but has an old poet's soul for sure. He and his girlfriend drove 20 hours from New York to play here on the Gulf coast, and I am so very glad they made the trip.

Dread Clampitt and Sam Bush. Blistering set Saturday night, everyone sweat-drenched, Kenny Oliverio SLAPPIN' that bass,  Johniie Reinlie on drums, Balder Saunders killing it on the mandolin, Kyle Ogle shredding the guitar, and the uber-talented Sam Bush letting his hair down and playing that electric mando wild and nasty like some lead guitarist for an arena rock band... except way better. It was a Walton County throwdown, the likes of which  I haven't seen before and I've SEEN some Walton County throwdowns, y'all!

The Indigo Girls These two should win the gold medal in Olympic singing. Ridiculously talented. And worth it even though it was freezing and windy and they started late. Their new song, "Fighting for the Love of Our Lives" is an awesome anthem for the push to allow people to marry whoever the hell they want, thank you very much.

A final word about the festival: Organizer Jennifer Saunders had the worst weather luck imaginable. Here she holds a fest in sunny Florida on the beach and it rains ALL DAY Saturday and Saturday night. Then, bitter cold winds kick up just in time for the Indigo Girls concert on the once-sunny beach! It was brutal! Let's hope the bad weather this time doesn't keep anyone away for what we hope will be a repeat of this worthy event. Thanks Jen!

Strange Irony

This was an odd sight to see as we headed to the 30A Songwriter's Festival in Walton County!

No Muzak around this festival, which is crawling with talent from Nashville and beyond.

Musicians and fans rubbed elbows at the dune-side kickoff party Friday afternoon at Bud & Alley's restaurant. From Los Angeles, Susanna Hoffs, of the pop all-girl supergroup The Bangles, along with singer-songwriter Matthew Sweet as "Sid & Susie," did a bunch of fun ''70s cover tunes - Neil Young, Yes, Fleetwood Mac, Carly Simon, etc. I'll admit it was a bit odd to start a songwriter's festival with covers (and to see a Muzak van on the way in), but they WERE good songs, well performed (Hoffs has some soulful chops) and the crowd was convivial. BMI sponsored the party, which offered an appetizer buffet for all ticket holders. Nice!

On to the tiny venue, the Seaside Meeting Hall ampitheatre,  for an up-close and personal concert with three gifted Nashville songwriters: Kelly Archer, who played "On My Highway," a hit she co-wrote on Jason Eldean's album "Wide Open." Luke Laird  writer on Carrie Underwood's "Last Name," "So Small," and "Temporary Home," and Natalie Hemby, who has written songs perfomed by Lee Ann Womack, Miranda Lambert, and Carrie Underwood. These soulful writers  put on a loose, intimate show. Laird's "People on Planes" was haunting and moving.

Most of the members of  Walton County's hometown boys Dread Clampitt took the stage next: Kyle Ogle, Baulder Saunders, and Kenny Oliverio. They showcased some of their solo song writing projects, as well as rockers the band typically plays at live shows. They were joined by Mike Whitty, a wonderfuly theatrical and quirky singer songwriter. This was an uncharacteristically tame Dread performance, but fit nicely into the more quiet folksy vibe.

Then it was on to headliners Sam Bush, Jeff Black, and John Oates, who did a round robin. The level of musicianship for these three pros was about what you'd expect: stellar. You could hear a pin drop in that hot and stuffy place. Newgrass king Bush's intricate mandolin work and buttery vocals shined, Black's emotionally fraught lyrics resonated, and Oates was simply fantastic. He paired wicked guitar skills with those gorgeous high and lonesome vocals we remember from 1970's pop sensations Hall & Oates.  He did a stripped-down version of the duo's hit "She's Gone" and a nice rag-time cover of "He Was A Friand of Mine." I'll admit I haven't kept up with Hall or Oates, but after seeing this performance, I'll go looking for more work by this very talented performer.

Bush took the show out with Bob Marley's (dubbed "Billy Bob" Marley in honor of the country luminaries present) One Love...a sing along that left us all warm and fuzzy,